1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general, relates to sound production and, more particularly, to musical instruments.
People enjoy playing music. That is why musical instruments exist. However, there is a need for one or more people, not well familiar with music theory or skilled in the art of playing a particular musical instrument to be able to play.
I thought of this idea on January 1999 when I was a Public school music teacher and was teaching music to very active elementary-school children. I've always had a particular interest in and focus on improvisation and this idea was sparked by these (said) conditions.
The object is a music-making object. It is a musical bouncing ball (developed as a series of music bouncing balls) that sound (use of the verb form of sound often used in language describing instruments) on impact with a musical note or other sound, useful for improvising, composing, and performing by a group or individual in a hands on or physical way. Idea conceived January 1999.
The present invention is a new music-making (group of objects) object—a series of balls—or instrument, which make sound (musical note or other sound(s)) upon impact. It provides a hands-on, gross-motor skill, way to create or perform music in a group—or by oneself using multiple bouncing balls.
A group of individuals could play, for example, a chord if three students (or more) each had a separate ball, each ball sounding the musical note in a chord. Individuals could play the chord as an ostinato, each bouncing the ball separately or play the balls all at once, to sound a block chord.
Another group or individual—manipulating multiple balls—could provide a corresponding melody by bouncing balls from a series of balls with varying notes and sounds. The rhythm could be established by the facility of the person or persons, bouncing the ball. The sound from the ball could also be controlled to sustain for varying lengths of time (or be otherwise altered.)
It can be appreciated that many music-making objects, or instruments, often require fine motor skills and much study before successful improvising, composing, or performing can occur. The musical bouncing balls could be used by non-, beginning and advanced musicians alike, as well as children who cannot yet master the necessary skills or any individual much challenged by the technicality required for playing instruments. It can be appreciated that for many instruments this process can take years, and for some ease still never comes. This music-making object would be an effective way to free up said individuals or individual to focus on the creativity and joy of the sound and movement, that which is being created or performed. For beginning musicians, one could also limit the notes to be those of the pentatonic scale thereby ensuring that whatever music was created would sound good. This sets up said individuals or individual for success. This may offer creative experiences to those who might not otherwise have access to that process at least in this specific way. This could be useful to special-needs students, the elderly, accomplished musicians and many other individuals.
Also a set of musical bouncing balls could easily be incorporated into dance and theatre.
The balls could be made or programmed to sound in any scales or with any sounds that an individual would choose to have them sound. In this respect creating and/or playing music according to the present invention substantially departs from the prior art of other object's—that create music—concepts and designs.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for a musical ball that helps to ameliorate the above-mentioned problems and difficulties as well as ameliorate those additional problems and difficulties as may be recited in the “OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION” or discussed elsewhere in the specification.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Musical instruments are, in general, known. While the structural arrangements of the previously known devices may, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.